New supervisor takes over at SF National Forest

James Melonas is taking over March 6 as the new forest supervisor of Santa Fe National Forest, coming here from a job as deputy forest supervisor in North Carolina.

It won’t be his first time in New Mexico, though, Melonas previously served as New Mexico state liaison for the Southwestern Region, when he was based at the Santa Fe National Forest for its proximity to the Legislature. In that role, he worked with a variety of groups, including land grant holders and acequia associations.

“Partnerships and collaboration play a valuable role in the stewardship of public lands,” he said in a news release.